By its very essence, the study of the humanities is the medium through which one’s own humanity manifests. 

The most important lesson I ever learned through my major was that, at the heart of every positive change, is people with the will to help bring about that change. And being one of those people is not as hard as you think. 

This semester, I had the great opportunity to observe Dr. Alicia Monroe’s class on the Black Lives Matter movement as a student reporter. 

“We are all sitting here because we have the heart to be agents of change,” Dr. Monroe told her students. “So how are we going to act?”

Every student who chooses to enroll in a class like Dr. Monroe’s will exit that class feeling more secure in and aware of their capacity to be agents of change. 

The first class I can remember that had that impact on me was “Identity, Culture and Democracy” back in 2019. The very act of taking that class, which started late in the semester, was something I had never intended going into that semester, but hindsight has afforded me the opportunity to see how valuable it was. Nonetheless, it would never have happened if I didn’t end up dropping another class.

That class left me with the will and confidence that I needed to realize my potential as an agent of change. 

Taking the time to learn in the classroom about subjects that pertain to the humanities also brings an awareness of the conditions of the world that may not be otherwise gained. 

A knowledge of the humanities, unlike most subjects, is a universal skill that everyone can benefit from. You may not incorporate that knowledge into your profession. But the change it can have on your perception of the world around you and your ability to be a part of the process of changing that world is quite profound.

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